The Other Waterbender: Finding the Way
by Midnyghtchilde
Summary: The eclipse has passed & Azula sits on the throne. Now Kat must find Zuko and convince him to fight for his people once more. But they'll have to atone for past mistakes and make uneasy alliances to beat Azula. [ToW: Faith in the Enemy is the prequel]
1. Refugees and Old Friends

**A.N. 4-27-07** -_ This was previously Chapter 5 of Faith in the Enemy. It's relatively unchanged. If you're new to this story, you might want to read "The Other Waterbender: Faith in the Enemy" first, though it shouldn't be entirely necessary. This story moves forward to after the defeat of Ozai. Kat and Zuko have not seen each other in almost 2 years (which is my best guestimate for how long the show seems to take, since there aren't any seasons to really nail it down). Enjoy, and please please review!  
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_**Chapter 1: Refugees and Old Friends**  
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_The Day of Black Sun has come and gone. The Avatar successfully defeated Fire Lord Ozai. While that act alone would have made the day a victory, it was hard to celebrate. While the Fire Lord's death was a necessity, it didn't make Aang feel any better about having to kill him. And when the dust cleared and the sun returned, Azula sat on the Fire Nation throne._

_The war was not over._

_**Three Weeks Later, in the South Pole**_

"I think it's a Fire Nation ship, Sir."

"What?!" Kai snatched the eye glass from the young boy and scanned the horizon. In the monocolor white landscape of the South Pole, their pale blue water tribe clothes were easy to see. In the distance, against the dark blue of the ocean, the black ship was almost indistinguishable. "It can't be…" The ship was a smaller class than the normal Fire Nation battle cruiser, but the outline was unmistakable as was the faint red mark of flame on its bow.

"Keep an eye on it; let me know the instant anything changes," Kai commanded, handing the eye glass back to the young boy. Shaking his head, he quickly headed down the snow stairs from the watch tower.

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Kai's navy blue eyes shimmered with concern. The South Pole had doubled in size in the past year, but it was not ready to withstand a Fire Nation attack. The once-small village had grown into a town, and it might one day become a city like the North Pole at the rate it was going.

It had been almost two years since Kai and the others had arrived in the South Pole, without Kat. Their help was welcomed, especially with the absence of the two oldest teenagers of the tribe – Katara and Sokka. They had helped rebuild the tiny wall, including Sokka's watch tower.

When two boats full of Northern Water tribe members arrived, the tiny village suddenly burst with life. The small team of benders – about 14 in all including Kat, Kai, and Tashu – worked to build homes of snow and ice, and to expand the walls that protected the growing town. Most importantly however, the built a port. Docks of thick ice had room for half a dozen ships. Kai and Kat had returned to the Southern Earth Kingdom, and convinced several merchants to begin trading with the South Pole once more.

So the town grew, and the war went on. When Ba Sing Se fell, several southern Earth Kingdom families moved in. Adjusting to the frigid temperatures of the South Pole wasn't easy, but they no longer felt safe in the Earth Kingdom.

Unfortunately, Kai and Saki found no living relatives in the South Pole. They did send word to their mother in the Earth Kingdom that they had arrived, and within a few months, she too returned to the South Pole. Tashu and Lei were luckier; their grandmother still lived, and was thrilled to discover that she had grandchildren.

Kat did find some distant cousins on her mother's side in the South Pole, and she was glad to find some family in the very least. She found it odd however, that no one seemed to remember her father. Most of the elders did not even seem to have ever heard of him.

It took Kai twenty minutes to walk from the front wall over looking the port to the very opposite side of the sprawling town.

Kats held her arms out in front of her, palms facing a massive cube of ice, her back to the approaching Kai. She raised her arms, in unison, from waist level, to shoulder height, and the block lifted from the ground. Carefully guiding it, Kat maneuvered the snow block into position on top of a growing stack of identical cubes. They were building storage houses along the back of town. With the increase in people, they were worried about the coming winter.

The block settled gently into place and Kat returned to her basic stance. A second bender shoved another block into place as he finished shaping it. To their right, one finished storage bunker was complete, this second one was coming along; its 10foot arch was beginning to take shape. It would run a good 50 feet in length by the time they were done. Then they would dig out the inside to give it more depth, and insulate it into the hard packed snow of the ground.

Kat prepared to move the next block, holding out her arms and sliding her legs a bit farther apart. She shrieked when she felt hands on her waist suddenly.

"Katsumi there's something you should see," he purred her name teasingly. She twisted around in his hands. Kai was grinning wickedly; he had considered surprising her while she was bending one of the blocks, but knew that would have made her slap him.

"Can't it wait? I want to get this one finished by sunset." Kat brushed a few loose strands of her dark mahogany hair behind her ear. Her braid had gotten loose over the course of the morning.

"No, it can't." Kai sighed. Kat was always working. It didn't matter if there was a lull, she would make more work to do. Building new houses, or the storage buildings, reinforcing the wall, fixing the port, preserving fish and seal and other meats, she could always find something that needed doing. Ever since she had showed up at the South Pole, a good 2 months after they had left her on Zuko's ship, Kat had thrown herself into her work. She had given them a brief summary of her time as a prisoner, but refused to elaborate. Eventually, her friends left her alone about it.

"All-riiiiight." With a melodramatic sigh, Kat turned back to her fellow bender. "We'll have to finish this tomorrow." He nodded. Kat turned back to Kai. "Let's go see what's so important." She sounded annoyed at having to stop work for the day, but she didn't care that much. Kai had a habit of interrupting her in order to get her opinion on things. He was the oldest of the teenaged boys, and has assumed a certain leadership role through his work organizing the rebuilding. He relied heavily on Kat's opinion though.

Grabbing Kat's hand, Kai led the way back across town. No one had been surprised when their friendship had progressed into something more. Many had wondered what took them so long. They had always been close, and it seemed to be a natural progression as they grew older.

On the wall, Kai handed her the monocular. "Look, over there," he pointed off into the distance.

Kat tried to follow where he was pointing. "What am I even looking for?" She grumbled a bit. It was windy on the wall, and Kat had no cloak, just her normal pale blue outer robes.

"Just keep scanning, you'll see it."

She swept the eye glass back and forth for a minute, in the area Kai had pointed. "No!" She suddenly gasped in shocked disbelief. "That is NOT what I think it is." She lowered the eye glass and glared at Kai. "Tell me that is NOT a Fire Nation ship!"

"If it looks like one and moves like one…"

"Kai why on earth didn't you tell me?!" She lifted the glass to her eye again and relocated the ship.

"Because it seems to be approaching slowly. And it's alone. So far, it doesn't seem to be a - "

"Uh, Kai?"

"What?"

"It just started raising a white flag." Kat passed him the eye glass. "Look."

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Even dulled with age, the black metal of the Fire Nation ship still shone in the sunlight. It dwarfed even the largest of the trading vessels docked in the small icy port. The deck buzzed with tension and movement.

Kat and a second female bender raised their arms, and a stairwell of snow and ice shot up from the dock to the ship's deck.

Kai was first to step onto the ship's deck, Kat second. She hung back, her hazel eyes taking in the ship's deck and the crew in their black and red armor. Had it really been almost 2 years?

The ship's captain bowed deeply before Kai, Kat, and Tashu. "I am Jee, ex-Lieutenant of the Fire Nation Navy. We have come to see asylum."

She could hear the gasps from both boys, as well as a handful of water tribe citizens down below on the pier. "Lieutenant Jee? Do you have the whole crew?" Kat suddenly asked as she stepped forwards.

"Almost the entire crew Miss Katsumi. We lost a few men at the Siege of the North." Jee was visibly saddened to share the news.

"You were at the Siege of the North?" Her gold-flecked eyes went wide. _What was Zuko doing there?_

"Whoa, wait." Kat held up his hands, glancing at Tashu, who shared the same confused look he did. "How do you know Kat? Why are you an ex-lieutenant? And why are you seeking asylum?" The questions came tumbling out quickly.

"We were the crew and guards of Prince Zuko, until Admiral Zhao recruited all able bodied soldiers for the Siege of the North." Jee sighed with regret. "This is not the same ship, the Prince's was destroyed, but it is a similar class."

Kat's brows furrowed with myriad questions, but she didn't voice them. "There is a lot to discuss, and I'd like to know what news you bring, Jee. But I think it best we move to someplace more private."

Jee nodded. "I have 22 men on board, with their families. It's been cramped."

"Understood. We'll make room for them as fast as possible."

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The flames of the fireplace were ending their dance, only a few orange and yellow flames dared to spark upwards; the rest had settled into dark red embers. Kat stared at them and toyed with her necklace. She had pulled it free of her robes, a thin chain of gold on which a single dark red ruby hung. Its surface was smooth, and she rubbed her fingers over it.

_My Uncle says jewelry always makes things better with girls. I will miss winning our sparring matches. Farewell. – Zuko._

It had been buried, wrapped in a piece of parchment, in the bottom of the bag Iroh insisted she take. She remembered word for word the brief awkward phrasing of the note; it was so Zuko. Kat wasn't sure if Iroh had known it was there, but she figured he must have. It was easy to hide under the multiple layers of clothing that were mandatory in the South Pole, so she wore it every day.

The fire snapped and popped in its death throws. The room was growing steadily darker as the flames shrank back. Shadows danced across the walls of her small, barren, house. Kat didn't need much; she was almost always out in town, doing something. Kai and Saki always insisted she eat with them and their mother. Kai had asked her to stay with them, but she had insisted she preferred having her own place.

She was somewhat disappointed in the South Pole. Granted, she hadn't expected much, but Kat had hoped to find some relatives, and someplace she belonged. The southern Earth Kingdom was where they grew up, but it hadn't been home. They were water benders, and they didn't belong there. Yet here she was in the South Pole, surrounded by her own element, and Kat sill didn't feel at home. She worked hard, hoping if she put her heart into rebuilding and growing the town it would help, but it didn't.

Her thoughts frequently found their way back to Zuko and Iroh. She heard rumors and stories of what had happened after she had parted ways from them, but nothing was certain. Most tales upset her, the rest just made her wonder. She tried not to psychoanalyze either of the royal duo from her brief time with them, but she couldn't help it.

Kat stared into the flames; the faint specks of gold in her eyes shimmered as she did. Lieutenant Jee – well, ex-lieutenant – had said that Zuko was in the Southern Earth Kingdom, somewhere. It was only speculative, but Jee was fairly certain it was the truth.

It was all only rumors, but Jee and most of his men believed that Zuko was the reason Azula did not fight along side the Fire Lord on the Day of Black Sun. Jee had recounted the most widely believed story: that Zuko had fought Azula in an Agni Kai, and left her with a scar of her own the day before the eclipse. Even beating his prodigy of a sister was not enough to raise his father's opinion of him. Ozai had declared that the throne would still pass to Azula after him. There were many variations in the rumors about what happened next, but the main story line was simple: one way or another, Zuko made sure Azula could not help Ozai during the eclipse and then left the Fire Nation.

Azula had instituted a draft on the already over-stretched Fire nation populace. It had been the last straw for many, and rebellions were cropping up across the islands according to Jee. All in all Jee's ship had carried 77 people in its tight quarters. It had been risky, but they had succeeded. While the North Pole was surrounded by a growing fleet of Fire Nation ships preparing for battle, the South Pole was quiet. Few in the Fire Nation realized how much it had grown in the past two years.

Even the fire nation citizens were tired of war. The sentiment permeated the ship's crew. They were battle wary and had lost hope. This was their last chance to find someplace peaceful to live.

Although Kai was uncertain about letting Fire Nation citizens into their small village, he agreed to let them stay. They were traitors to the Fire Nation now; this would be their new home. The Earth Kingdom was no longer safe.

Without fear of Ba Sing Se, Azula could focus the might of the Fire Nation on the last remaining bastion of opposition: The North Pole. When it was stomped out, everything else would be clean up work. Kat had never known Azula. What she knew was from the stories of the soldiers. But she knew enough to realize that Azula would not stop until she had succeeded where her father, grandfather, and great grandfather had failed.

The fire popped twice, and died. The room fell into darkness, only the faintest bit of moonlight reaching in through the window. Kat tucked her necklace back under her robes and made her decision: there was only one person who could end the war and he was in the southern earth kingdom.

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The sky was lightening, even though the sun was still half an hour from gracing the horizon with its presence. It was still late summer, and the nights were long in the southern hemisphere.

Kat knew the merchants liked to leave with the sunrise, and give themselves as much travel time during the day as possible. They had to pass through the isles that once belonged to the southern air nomads, and many a ship's crew swore the area was haunted.

She also knew one of the merchants was intending to leave this morning. He had mentioned it the previous evening while the village was gathered to welcome their new fire nation members as friends.

With her pack slung over her shoulder, Kat moved silently, straight towards the dock. The village was still sleeping for the most part, and by the time anyone noticed she was gone it would be far too late.

"Where do you think you're going?" Kai stepped out from behind a building and grabbed Kat's shoulder as she walked by. He spoke with a soft seriousness.

Kat caught her breath in a small gasp. At first she was surprised, but she quickly grew angry and defensive, twisting her shoulder out from under his hand. "I'm going North."

Kai sighed. He had suspected she would try something; he knew her too well. When Jee and his men shared stories of the war and the events over the past two years, Kat had grown pensive and attentive. He'd seen that look on her face before: she was planning something.

Kat had always refused to talk about her time as a prisoner, and it bothered Kai. "Why? You're needed here Kat."

_No I'm not,_ she thought. "I have to find him Kai."

_That damn prince, it always comes back to him,_ Kai scowled. "It's been two years Kat! You heard Jee – he is the reason Ba Sing Se flies a Fire Nation flag!"

"You don't know that!" Kat's voice rose before she wrestled it down under control again. "It's rumors; no one knows that for sure. Even if he did, he's left the Fire Nation now."

"Or he was **run off**! Kat listen to yourself! You don't even know him. He betrayed his uncle, and stood beside the rest of his tyrant lineage, what good would finding him do?"

"He's the only one that can end this war Kai, and you know it. Ozai is **dead** and yet it continues. It won't end until someone is on that throne that is tired of war."

"And how do you know he's tired of war?! He's as evil as the rest of that accursed family!" Kai hissed angrily. His own level of anger at her stubborn defiance surprised him. Tendrils of jealousy crept their way into his thoughts. Kat had never rebuffed his advances, and he knew she cared deeply about him, but there was always something holding her back. The whispers of jealousy suggested that it was _someone_ that held Kat back, not _something_. Now Kai was wondering if this was the answer he had sought.

"No he's **not!**" She shot back vehemently, "he's not."

"How do you know?!" There just wasn't any getting through to her.

"Because he saved me from being raped by that bastard Zhao. That's how." She hissed with defensive anger.

Kai froze up; his lips parted but no words came from them. Suddenly a lot more things made sense in light of her revelation. "Kat…" his voice became soft and he reached for her shoulder again to draw her to him. "Why didn't you ever say anything before?"

"Because there's nothing to say," Kat clammed back up quickly. She wasn't about to have this discussion and miss her chance to leave. "Nothing happened because he rescued me. You may not believe that a fire nation prince could have a heart, but I do. I've seen it. And I've seen the faith his Uncle had in him. He's a good person beneath it all Kai. I refuse to believe otherwise." She took a deep breath, trying to calm down again even as she spoke quickly. "This war has two outcomes now: The Fire Nation breaks through the North Pole, and we all fall under their control or Zuko gets that throne and ends it. There are no more lines of defense between them and us."

"Then I'll come with you."

"No," she snapped quickly. "You're needed here. They need your leadership with the rest of the men still gone. They'll need you to keep peace while Jee and his men assimilate."

"And they need you too Kat," Kai was almost begging. His navy eyes glinted with concern for her, and the future. "How can you just leave?"

"I…I have to…I really do. I know in my heart this is the right thing to do," she sighed and looked away. The pain that danced in his features was making her lose her nerve. "Don't make this any harder than it has to be, please." It was her turn to beg softly.

Kai was quiet for a moment. His hand idly rubbed her shoulder in a pathetic gesture of comfort. "Alright, go." He pulled her to him and kissed her hard. "But be careful, and come back to me." The sun was beginning to peek over the horizon, its first rays casting them into shadows against the building's side. "Go on, or you'll miss the ship."

Biting her lip, Kat nodded. She felt like she should say something, but nothing seemed appropriate. With a sad attempt at a reassuring smile Kat murmured "I'll be fine," and sprinted over to the pier.

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Despite having been ashore for just over two weeks, they hadn't gotten anywhere. The problem was they weren't specifically going anywhere. They had no destination. The only point of moving was to avoid spending too long in one spot and risking discovery.

Things had been relatively calm. Of course, calmness usually came before a storm, and it was making Zuko nervous. They'd barely seen any Fire nation troops in their travels across the southern Earth Kingdom, and it seemed unusual. Had he stayed in the Fire Nation past the eclipse, he would have known that troops were being recalled left and right in order to launch a truly massive attack on the North Pole.

The calmness had finally broken hours earlier.

The last town had a large marketplace, perfect for restocking on food and assorted supplies. It was bustling with people and vendors right from the port to the heart of the town. Increased trade with the southern Water Tribe had greatly benefited the small village in the previous year, and it showed.

Zuko couldn't help but think how much Iroh would have loved it.

Someone was following him though. He caught movement in his peripheral vision from time to time, yet looking back there was nothing unusual in the busy market. At first, the prince wrote it off to nerves. But it continued as he shopped.

Zuko had quietly instructed his companion to stay behind him, to wait several minutes to leave the town after he had. It had been easy to do: in town they always shopped apart, lest anyone use one to recognize the other. A simple brushing against her shoulder and a few quiet words explained the situation.

Now, an hour away from town, Zuko was at the end of his nerves. There were no noticeable footprints heard from behind him. It was still late summer and the path was clear of debris that would make travel noisy. Worst still, it was unkempt and rarely traveled, which meant it was spotted with grass that muted footsteps. He would have to wait until his companion made her move. He was confident she would know when it was safe to act.

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It was definitely Zuko. Kat had gotten lucky, really lucky. Following the gossip and moving quickly, she had barely slept since stepping ashore. Spotting him in the marketplace had been a complete accident.

At first, she wasn't entirely sure it was him. The black pony tail was gone, and shaggy tussled locks partly obscured his scar. The golden eyes were unmistakable though. Kat didn't dare say anything in the marketplace, where too many people would over hear. She followed as close as she dared, and as quietly as possible.

The day was only midway through, but the tall trees along the path blocked the sunlight. It was warm, but not uncomfortable. Kat found it to be refreshing from the cold of the South Pole. It reminded her of childhood summers spent climbing trees and dashing through the undergrowth.

She had waited long enough. She'd seen no one on the path in the entire hour they'd been walking. Quickening her pace, Kat stopped lurking along the shadowed sides and headed right for Zuko.

She barely felt the sharp jabs in the back and side of her neck and base of her spine before the world went dark.

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The rustle of movement behind him made Zuko spin around and dash back the way he'd come.

On the ground was a crumpled figure. Her backpack had slid free of her shoulder and was lying against her side; she wore black pants and a green and yellow earth kingdom tunic, with a water pouch slung across her chest. Her loose braid of mahogany hair had fallen across her face, hiding it.

Ty Lee stood over her, a grin on her face and her hands on her hips. Although she no longer wore the bright pink puffy clothes she had always favored, she retained her cheerful demeanor. Like Zuko, she wore simple earth kingdom peasant clothing, a green shirt she had knotted on the side to keep it snug, and loose brown pants. She laughed loudly. "That was too easy!"

Zuko knelt beside his stalker and brushed her hair from her face.

"Kat?!"

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	2. Traitors, Trails, and Tears

**A.N. _4-27-07_ - **_This was previously chapter 6 of "Faith in the Enemy" and again, it hasn't changed much. _

**Warning: Character Death Discussed.**

**Disclaimer** (that I forgot last time!) - I don't own Avatar, Nickelodeon does. Katsumi, Kai, Tashu in this chapter are mine though.

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_**Chapter 6: Traitors, Trails, and Tears**_

"Can you bring her out of it Ty Lee?" Zuko crouchs beside Kat's crumpled form.

"Well, yeah, but it'll take her about ten minutes to come around."

"Do it." He stands up and backs a few paces away. Ty Lee bends down and with carefully executed jabs, hits Kat in the same three places she had moments earlier. She straightens and does a backwards flip landing a few paces away. Ty Lee can't just walk away; it's not in her nature.

Zuko moves back to Kat's still inert form. "We should get off the path." He carefully picks up his old prisoner in his arms and dives into the under brush with Ty Lee on his heels.

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Kat's head is aching with a dull throb. She raises her hand and rubs the back of her neck before she even opens her eyes. Her neck is tender to the touch; it must be bruised.

Her eyes finally flick open, golden hazel gaze sweeping across the tiny clearing and immediately focusing on Zuko. "What on earth hit me and how long was I out?" A crooked grin crosses her dark lips.

"Ty Lee, and about ten minutes," comes the no-nonsense reply.

Kat glances at the smiling girl with the hair bun, brow arching with amusement. Ty Lee can not just sit on the ground, but rather sits contorted like a pretzel with her legs behind her head. She looks back to Zuko, meeting his piercing amber eyes.

"Why are you following me?" He's sitting cross legged a few feet away from her, hands folded in his lap. In the green and yellow colors of the earth kingdom, his thick black hair falling into his eyes, he looks like any normal teenager. It's not even the scar that makes him stand out Kat realizes, it's his eyes.

She stares at him in silence for a moment before replying, "Because I've been looking for you." His eyes are bright with questions but he is carefully deciding how to direct the conversation. Kat finds it strange that he is not angry or annoyed at her reappearance in his life.

"And why are you looking for me?" He consciously keeps his breathing rhythmic and steady. Having realized who she was, Zuko's mind is cluttered with thoughts and he's taken the past ten minutes to try and get them organized. Part of him realizes that he has in fact missed her at times; the other part refuses to acknowledge it.

"Because I want to see this war end, and it won't happen without you." She's as blunt and to the point as ever; there is no beating around the bush here. Kat takes a deep breath and sighs loudly. "Where are you heading?"

"I'm the one asking the questions," he replies sharply. "The war won't end until Azula has left her mark on every last inch of the earth. It has nothing to do with me."

"Bullshit Zuko," she snaps back quickly. "It can end before then, it can end before the balance is completely destroyed, and it can end sooner if you fight."

His hand clenches into a fist, but it's the only hint of a reaction at her words. She still knows how to push his buttons. Zuko takes a deep breath, "The throne was never meant to be mine, Kat," he speaks with measured pauses, "it was always Azula's. I can't end this war, that's the Avatar's job."

"And he can't do it alone!" Her voice raises a note. While Zuko seems to have learned to control his emotions, especially his anger, Kat has clearly not. "The Fire Nation has to change, internally. It needs a strong leader to lead it through the change, and that leader is you."

He shakes his head, and it makes his hair flutter. "No, it isn't. You've wasted your time."

"Ah!" She rolls her eyes. "I have not. And you are the one to do it. Your people believe in you. Your own men have defected to the Southern Water tribe even."

"My men?" His yellow eyes suddenly grow wide. Technically, he's never had any men under him, they were all his Uncle's, but he realizes who she is talking about. "Jee is at the South Pole?"

Kat nods, "He is, along with most of the soldiers from your ship and their families. They came seeking asylum and we gave it to them. How else do you think I found you so fast?"

The prince takes a moment to let it soak in. His Uncle's men have defected in protest to Azula. They've abandoned their homes because of his sister. The people of the Fire Nation do not stand by their new Fire Lord. He needs to speak to Jee, to find out what has really gone on within the Fire Nation since he lost his ship and his crew. Then he realizes the danger that their actions have put them all in. "I'll answer your question then, we're going to the South Pole."

"Huh?" Both girls respond in unintended unison.

"Jee and his men may have made it successfully to the South Pole, but Azula won't let them stay. She can not afford to have such a massive betrayal of her own soldiers go unpunished. She'll make an example of them and raze the entire place to the ground."

"How do you know that?" Kat's eyes have gone wide as she cocks her head to the side. Even though she asks him, she already knows the answer. It just makes sense.

"Because it's what I'd do if I was her." He stands up and habitually brushes off his pants.

"But what about the North Pole?"

"What about it? It will be there when she's done dealing with her traitors, there is no rush." He has a point.

Kat stands up beside him, she realizes he's grown and is now taller than she is. Ty Lee disentangles her body and leaps gracefully to her feet then bounds over to them. She's a good two inches shorter than Kat even.

"So why go to the South Pole now Zuko?" Kat arches a brow, suspicious of the truth.

"Because they are my men, and I'm responsible for them."

It's a good answer, Kat decides with a smile. "So the South Pole it is."

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The oasis at the North Pole is the calm eye at the center of the storm. Once brilliant white, the snow city is now covered in a fine layer of soot from the massive federation of Fire Nation ships that sit on the horizon. When the wind blows it carries the smell of smoke and fire as well as the ash. As the city bustles with activity day in and day out, the oasis remains calm and quiet. It is far enough from the citadel, and protected enough, that it seems detached from the rest of the world.

Iroh doesn't mind the cold, but the oasis's pleasant spring temperature is certainly enjoyable. He can remember the last time he was here, and the sad story of Yue's sacrifice. Sokka told him the story one night, as they watched the full moon rising. Now Iroh knows the name of the moon goddess: Yue. It's as beautiful and simple as the moon itself.

Zhao's pride was his demise, and his story is the perfect, though sad, example of the state of the Fire Nation. Iroh understands the Spirits, he's been to their world. Childhood memories remind him that the Fire Nation also believed in the spirits once. But years of war and earthly conquest have shifted their beliefs. Too many care only about power, and not about balance.

The koi fish slowly swim in the small pond. They are not his preferred spirits, but Iroh enjoys their presence anyways. Several weeks have passed since they took refuge at the North Pole. Iroh has never spent this long in either of the poles, home to his opposing element. Long ago he remembers fighting at the South Pole as a low level lieutenant. These are stories that he does not share with any of his companions.

Uncle Iroh is a different man now, one who trusts in the spirits, and has learned to forgive. The Dragon of the West earned his title and the fear that went with it rightfully. He is neither proud nor ashamed of his past; it has happened, and it can not be changed.

The old man sits and meditates in the oasis each day. It is a chance to relax and focus on the thoughts that plague him, so that during the rest of the day, he can focus on the battle to come. Aang, Katara, Toph, and Sokka have grown to love him quite quickly; they value his wisdom and advice. They are all powerful, and courageous, and Iroh is forever amazing by their intelligence and strength. _Children should never have to grow up so fast_, he thinks, _but they are all very special_.

The old general is equally fond of his young companions. It does not escape his attention that if Lu Ten had lived and had children, they might be almost as old as Toph and Aang now. He dreams of the simple things of life, of long summer days spent playing with grandchildren in the fields of the fire nation where he grew up so long ago.

As is often the case, Iroh's thoughts eventually turn to his Nephew. It is like dealing with Lu Ten's death all over again. The images from the caves of Ba Sing Se replay themselves in his mind and his heart aches. _I failed him,_ he thinks,_ I have lost my second son._

"Iroh!" Toph shouts at the top of her lungs and it echoes through the otherwise quiet sanctuary. "Chief Arnook is looking for you!" She appears across the bridge from him and folds her arms across her chest, pretending to be impatient.

The old man stands up, "I'm coming." _I won't fail these kids, not this time,_ he vows.

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They walk in silence, moving off the path in order to circle the town they left just over an hour again. They don't want to be recognized, it might make people wonder who they are and why they are back again.

In the forest it's cooler. The underbrush is fairly thick; the bushes are just beginning to fruit. It breaks up the monotonous green hues with splashes of red and purple and yellow. Kat keeps an eye open for any fruits she recognizes from childhood as being edible, but she won't risk trying any new ones, not after the last time.

"_Kai why didn't you stop them?" Liren scolded her son. They weren't children anymore and yet sometimes, they made her really wonder._

"_I didn't know Mom!" he protested, helping Saki inside. Behind him Tashu and Lei helped Kat along. Both girls were pale, their skin almost a greenish hue. They could barely walk._

_Inside they helped the girls onto the couch and Liren disappears into the kitchen. "Get them some damp towels for their foreheads!" she calls to the three boys. She tends to the sick pre-teen girls, scolding them all along for eating wild berries. Three days later they are finally well enough to stand and keep food down. Neither Kat nor Saki tries wild berries again, not even on a dare._

Once they circle the town they return to the path and continue walking. The teens are silent, but the world around them is not. Birds of all kinds sing in the tree tops, and the drone of insects never stops.

Kat glances at Zuko occasionally. She walks on his right; from her view he could be any normal teenager. He holds his head high, his profile defined by a sharp jaw line. _He is royalty after all,_ she muses to herself. Wondering what Zuko is thinking, Kat tries to mentally rehearse the things she needs to say to him. There are too many things though, and she is easily distracted with hypothetically scenarios.

In the middle of the two girls, Zuko glances occasionally at Kat. He's on high alert for anyone else following them. It's possible that someone was following Kat. He doesn't think she'd have been watching for someone following her, not that she'd have led someone here on purpose. He's struck by their height difference now, in his memories they are always at eye level to each other. Her hair is still falling free of her braid, and she lifts her hand to brush it away every few minutes it seems. _Why would she come all this way just to find me_? It's the only thing he wonders, because he knows the answer, but it is even more unbelievable.

Ty Lee has a bounce in her step that is unmistakable and her steps are virtually soundless. Their new companion seems like a pretty girl, and smart to her. It's clear that Zuko knows her from long ago, but Ty Lee doesn't know how. Whoever she is, Ty Lee instinctively realizes she's important.

The sun finally begins to set, though its low position in the sky has left in shadows for most of the evening. The trio leaves the road and hacks a path through the underbrush in search of a clearing for camp. Several hundred feet from the path the bushes give way to a clearing beneath a massive ancient tree. Under its wide canopy, nothing can grow.

Starting a fire is easy with a firebender in the group. Ty Lee climbs the trees in search of fruits and nuts to accompany their supplies while Zuko hunts for fire wood. Kat pushes her way through the brush; she can sense water isn't far away, and emerges onto a creek shore within a dozen yards of camp. With an armful of brimming water pouches, she returns to camp.

After eating, Zuko sets off to meditate. With his mind overwhelmed with questions and memories because of Kat's appearance, he needs it. Leaving the girls alone he sets off into the woods to get a way and find some solitude.

"So what's your name?" Ty Lee's face is bright with a wide grin. She flops into the ground and begins to stretch.

"Everyone calls me Kat." She watches Ty Lee bend in ways she didn't think were possible. It seems like the younger girl just never stops moving either. "You're …Ty Lee right?" She hopes she remembers it correctly from before.

Ty Lee nods quickly. "Yup, that's me!" Sitting on the ground with her legs apart she pushes them farther under she's in a full split. "So…how do you know Zuko?" She really wants to ask a lot of questions. Zuko isn't talkative, and Ty Lee has missed conversation over the past few weeks.

"I uh…ran into him a few years ago." Kat wonders how much to share and what to keep secret. "Actually, I attacked his ship and ended up his prisoner for a few weeks." If she's traveling with Zuko, she's trustworthy, Kat figures.

"Oh, so then you escaped?" Her dark chocolate brown eyes grow wide with the idea of a story of adventure and drama. Putting her hands on the ground, Ty Lee lifts herself up and then slowly swings her legs upwards until she's in a full handstand.

Kat tries not to be too distracted by the acrobatics, but it's fascinating. She's never seen someone bend their body like this before. "Not quite, he let me go." Ty Lee's face wrinkles with disappointment, so she elaborates. "Iroh convinced him to let me have free range on the ship, and to be his sparring partner. We practiced every morning. It was…awkward at first. There were a lot of sparring matches that turned into outright fights. We eventually found a base for friendship in respect for each others bending skills."

Ty Lee flips her legs over her head so that she is bent over completely with her back towards the ground. She rotates around in this odd almost crab-like position so she can see Kat still. "Oh, so you're a fire bender too?" Kat doesn't look like Fire Nation, except for that gold in her eyes.

"No, I'm a water bender, I'm from the South Pole." Kat laughs softly at the idea of her being a fire bender. "Actually, I grew up around here, in the southern Earth Kingdom, but my parents were from the South Pole long ago."

"Ahh, I understand. I'm from the Fire Nation!" Ty lee offers cheerfully, as if it wasn't clear already. It makes Kat laugh again, and shake her head. "I've only met one other water bender before. She didn't seem very nice like you do."

Her laughter continues, "I'm not always nice." Ty Lee is just plain likable, it reminds her of Iroh in some ways. "So how do you know Zuko?"

"I grew up with him!" She pushes off the ground with her hands, righting herself on her feet before springing into a back flip and turning back to Kat. "Actually, I was a friend of his sisters." Her voice softens with a mix of pain and sorrow and regret.

Kat's brows furrow with questions and concern. "His sister? Why are you here now then?"

Ty Lee drops to the ground and sits cross legged. "I…I used to work in a circus, I liked it there. She came and made me leave there," the acrobat shivers with the memory. "We chased after the Avatar and Zuko and Iroh for a while but we never caught them. After Ba Sing Se fell we returned to the Royal City again. Zuko couldn't ever sleep so I always made him some tea with herbs for sleeping. Mai and I always liked Zuko, and he didn't seem happy even after returning home. Azula and Mai and I went after the Avatar again and we failed and…and…" her voice wavers and cracks the more she talks. The words started soft and slow but quickly become a torrent. "We failed, we failed and the Fire Lord tried to kill us to punish Azula, but Mai saw it coming and jumped on me and saved me and Mai didn't survive." By the time Ty Lee finishes talking, she's in tears. Her slender shoulders shake with her sobs.

Kat realizes that the bubbly happy demeanor her companion wears is a mask. Just as Zuko hides himself behind an emotionless and stoic mask, Ty Lee wears one of cheerfulness. Despite barely knowing the younger girl, Kat is on her feet and at Ty Lee's side almost instantly. She wraps her arms around Ty Lee's shoulders and hugs her. "I'm sorry." It's not much, but she doesn't know what else to say. _What is wrong with the fire nation, and the fire lord?_ So much violence against his own children and his children's friends; Kat can not comprehend it.

"We tried really hard," Ty Lee squeaks out between sobs. "But the Avatar and his friends are so strong," she tries to calm down with a deep breath, but it comes in ragged gulps. "Azula was so mad at us, she blamed us. And then the Fire Lord…he…" her sobs start anew as she remembers: a flash of brilliant light, the heat, and then darkness. "I woke up in my room and they told me what happened, that Mai was dead."

Kat squeezes Ty Lee tightly. "Be glad you had such a good friend, who was willing to sacrifice herself for you. You'll see her again one day." She hopes it sounds better out loud than it does in her head. Kat isn't practiced in comforting others.

---------------------------------------------------

"She'll be fine Kai, I really wouldn't worry about her," Tashu shrugs a little and throws the cargo box down to his older friend.

"I'm not worried about her well being, I know she can take care of herself." Kai catches the box and sets it on the growing pile on the pier. The elders said the winds smelled of a storm, and the merchants wanted to get unloaded and back to the earth kingdom as fast as possible. Kai isn't sure he believes the elders; it is sunny and the sky is clear all the way to the horizon in every direction. "I'm concerned about her coming back. She's stubborn, and she won't just give up and come home if she can't find him."

"She'll get bored eventually. Or maybe she'll actually find him, either way, Kat will come back." Tashu is an optimist. He grabs another box and throws it fast at Kai "Think fast!" he shouts with a laugh.

"I wish I was as confident as you about that. I should have gone with her." He catches it with barely an inch to spare from hitting his head.

"But you didn't, you let her go like she wanted to, and I'm sure she's glad for it. Kat's always been independent like that," he shrugs again and disappears from sight behind the boat's railing. He returns pushing a new stack of boxes.

"I know, believe me, I know." Kai rolls his eyes and takes the next box. "I just….I don't like it."

Tashu's eyes light up suddenly and he grins, "You're jealous aren't you?" He throws two boxes down at the same time.

"Hah! Yeah right" Kai scoffs and catches the boxes, but just barely.

"Well you can't possibly be concerned for her safety, Kat's a better bender than either of us. And this is her home, she'll come back eventually, yet you're still uncomfortable with the idea." Tashu leans down and hands him the next one, which is boldly marked "FRAGILE" in large letters. "It's the only explanation."

"And it's ridiculous." Kai sets the box down carefully over to the side and makes mental note not to break it.

"No it's not. She barely talks about her time as a prisoner, she showed back up here with a new level of stubbornness and without her fiery hatred of the Fire Nation, despite having been, y'know, a prisoner. And now she takes off after him, convinced he can 'save the world' or something?" Tashu tosses the last box down and then climbs down the ladder to the pier.

"You're crazy! I'm not jealous." Kai just shakes his head at his friend.

"Yeah you are! I would be too if San-yee left me to chase a prince." Tashu is recently engaged, having just turned 17. Despite being the second oldest after Kai and Kat, he's the first engaged out of their small group of orphans.

"She didn't leave me," Kai snaps quickly. He sounds like he believes it, but part of him isn't sure if it's really true. "Like you said, she'll be back."

"Ok, she didn't 'leave' you; she went on an "extended vacation" with the exiled Fire Nation PRINCE." Tashu grins evilly and makes air quotes with his fingers around the phrase 'extended vacation.' "It's ok to be jealous Kai."

"I'm not jealous!" Kai grabs a stack of cargo boxes and heads down the pier, but all he can think of is that necklace Kat wears.

----------------------------------------------------

Returning to the camp site, Zuko sees the two girls locked in an embrace and arches a brow. The sound of Ty Lee's crying is muffled by Kat's shoulder, but he can hear it. "What happened?" His voice is strangely soft and filled with concern.

"I…" Kat looks up at him, wrinkling her nose. "We were talking…she told me what happened to Mai." Her hand idly rubs circles on Ty Lee's back.

"Oh." It makes sense now. Zuko drops to a crouch besides the two girls and pats Ty Lee's shoulder. He knows how hard it's been for her to lose both her friends in one day. Mai died protecting her from Ozai's wrath, and Azula refused to acknowledge what had happened. Acknowledging it would have meant acknowledging her own failure, and Azula was simply incapable of it. It had rattled his sister's confidence to the core to watch her friend die. Ty Lee bore the scars of the attack still as well; her torso was mottled with angry red. Zuko knows how hard it is to lose a loved one.

The trio grows quiet, aside from Ty Lee's occasional sniffles. Kat watches Zuko, a bit surprised by his concern. His eyes dance with sympathy for Ty Lee's pain, and Kat has seen that look before: it's the same one Kai gave Saki when she sat crying over a break up. It's a look of frustrated impotence at being unable to make someone feel better.

Pulling back from Kat's arms, Ty Lee wipes her eyes with her sleeve. "I just need some water, I'll be right back." She stands up and heads off to the stream.

Both teens watch her leave, before looking at each other.

"I feel so bad for her," Kat remarks softly. She too remembers how hard the first few weeks are after a loved one dies.

"She's a strong girl, she'll be alright." Zuko stands up from his crouch, and looks down at the seated Kat. The firelight makes the shadows dance across her face. Her eyes glisten with unfallen tears that reflect the dancing flames.

Kat looks away and blinks rapidly. She hardly cries herself, but it's hard to keep her eyes from tearing when others cry. "I'm sure she will be."

Hugging Ty Lee had been instinctive, and it surprised Kat as much as it did Zuko.

"She never belonged in the palace; she should have stayed at the circus." Zuko adds softly, surprising himself. Offering up stories freely for conversation isn't his style, but he finds himself wanting to explain.

"She said Azula made her leave."

"Azula did, she had them set the safety nets on fire and release the animals Ty Lee told me." Zuko shakes his head in disbelief at his sister's past actions. "She didn't have much a choice. Her parents never were happy that she ran away from being a noblewoman to join the circus."

Genuine confusion flashes onto Kat's face. "And she still considered her a friend?"

"She did." Zuko finally takes a seat beside the far instead of staring down at peer.

"Wow," is all she can say. That sort of loyalty shocks Kat. She realizes that Ty Lee has attached herself to Zuko now, in light of Mai's death and Azula's refusal to speak to her. The acrobat is more complicated than her sunny disposition would ever imply. The fact that Zuko cares about Ty Lee though, and seems to feel responsible for her, helps cement Kat's belief in him. She shakes her head and sighs softly, "That's just awful."

He nods in agreement and says nothing else. Ty Lee returns from the creek, her eyes are still a little red but her cheeks aren't, and she flashes them a bright smile. Bounding over to the seated Kat she leaps on her and smothers her with a hug. "Thanks."

Kat laughs and hugs her back. They have only known each other for a few hours, but Kat realizes she shares Zuko's feelings towards the younger girl.

"We should all get some sleep." Zuko's voice of reason interrupts their giggling.


	3. Rekindled Respect

**A.N. _4-30-07_**_ - This chapter's a bit shorter than the rest, but hopefully is still enjoyable. So far this story has just over a 50 retention rate (currently 25 people have viewed the first chapter, and 15 the second) which is probably due to the semi-cliffhanger of chapter 1. However, I will probably stop writing this story without feedback. It balances on the edge of a lot of already-done plot lines I suppose, and I just don't have the drive to complete it. I may just make a story of drabbles with the scenes for this story that I have written and lying about._

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Once they are asleep – their steady rhythmic breathing gives it away – Kat slips out of her sleeping bag and heads for the creek. Despite being exhausted after traveling so far so fast, she needs to relax before sleeping. Her muscles ache, but her mind races. As long as she gets more than 4 hours of sleep tonight, she'll be doing better than previous nights.

Standing on the grassy shore of the tiny creek, Kat takes off her sandals and sets them neatly aside. Rolling her pant legs up to past her knees, she steps into the cool running water. Her lips curl with a smile as the water rushes past her bare calves; it's almost cold, but it feels nice. She draws a glistening tendril of water from the surface and lets it wrap around her arm and across her back before sending it arcing off into the distance. She hums softly to herself as she twirls about, getting lost in the water she controls.

Zuko watches her from the shadows of the forest. She's out grown her in height, but not by much. Having fought against Katara several times in the past few years, he realizes that Kat is lighter skinned than her fellow water bender, though still many shades darker than him. Her hair is shorter, but the same rich brown hue; she wears it pulled up and back away from her face and out of the way, but without any braid or decoration. And still, her golden-flecked hazel eyes are strikingly different

A twig snaps in the woods and Kat's heart skips a beat. Her arms fly upwards, ready to attack; in response the water around her surges and raises upwards into waving tentacles poised to attack as well.

_Damnit_, Zuko curses himself and steps from the woods. "So you still practice at night," he remarks casually. Not paying enough attention to the ground, he gave himself up by stepping wrong, and now he has to play it off as intentionally coming to find her.

_Either he came to watch, or to talk,_ Kat realizes. Both options are equally odd in her opinion. She can't think of any reason he would want to watch her bend, but he doesn't seem like the type to initiate a conversation either. "Yes, I do. We do worship the moon spirit after all, it seems appropriate," she shrugs a bit and lowers her hands. Behind her the water silently drops back down and continues bubbling along.

Kat steps out of the water and takes a seat on the creek's bank. Her toes wiggle in the cold water; its temperature has turned her skin pink in protest but she doesn't mind. She pats the ground beside her for him to sit, and looks back to the water she was just playing with.

Zuko takes a seat beside her. His mind is cluttered with suddenly recalled memories of the last time he saw her. Not long after Kat left his ship, Iroh had referred to her as Zuko's friend. At the time, he remembers protesting vehemently:she was a water tribe peasant and an ex-prisoner, certainly not a friend. Looking back on it now though, he realizes his Uncle was probably right.

There's a lot Kat wants to say, but she doesn't know how to begin.

"Couldn't sleep huh?"

"I, uh…No." Zuko's still no good at lying.

"Glad to know I'm not the only one," she laughs.

"Honestly, I'm not sure what to do from here," Kat muses softly, "I just knew I needed to find you, I didn't really plan anything past that," she laughs at herself. Zuko's ego has taken a beating over the past two years and she can't help but wonder what he's been up to.

"Why did you need to find me?" It's the question that's been bothering him all afternoon.

"Iroh once told me that this war won't end until there is a Fire Lord who wants it to. Someone who's willing to struggle for what's right. And I guess…when Jee said you had left the Fire Nation, and that the people were rebelling against Azula…I thought you could use a hand."

"A hand with what? I'm done chasing the throne that was never meant to be mine."

Kat bites her lip hard and takes a deep a breath. She wants to start yelling at him, to tell him he's wrong, that he has responsibilities to his people, that he can't give up now, but she doesn't. It's late, she's exhausted, and it just isn't the time. _Maybe once he talks to Jee he'll change his mind,_ she hopes.

Zuko is surprised that she doesn't argue with him. He sees the flash of annoyance on her face; she disagrees with him but she refrains from saying anything. _I guess we've both grown up a lot_, he realizes.

"I guess we'll see," Kat finally says with a shrug.

The two teens fall silent, listening to the song of the creek as it rushes over the rocky soil. The forest is filled with songs from various insects and mammals; the birds are asleep. Across the water a few lightning bugs blink on and off lazily in the darkness.

"Can I ask where Iroh is?" Kat finally dares to ask one question at least, the one that has bothered her the most since she heard the stories.

Zuko inhales sharply, his golden eyes fill with regret. "As far as I know, he's at the North Pole, with the Avatar and his friends."

"So he did escape imprisonment."

"He did, no thanks to me. The Avatar and his friends freed him from Azula's own ship as we were headed to the Fire Nation."

"…and what about Ba Sing Se?" She's pushing her luck, and she knows it. But the rumors she heard about the fall of the great walled city are the only thing that almost broke her faith in him.

Under her golden flecked gaze Zuko has to glance away. He isn't sure how to respond; he really doesn't want to tell the story of his betrayal, his biggest mistake. But at the same time, he's heard the rumors and they are even worse and the truth in some ways. "I betrayed Iroh," he suddenly blurts out, and squeezes his eyes shut. "I betrayed Iroh, sided with Azula, fought the Avatar, all because of the promise of honor and power and love." Zuko takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. It's not the whole story, but it's the basics and it's hard enough to admit without considering Katara and Aang.

Kat doesn't respond for a moment, she just watches him. He takes deep controlled breathes, struggling to keep the complex flood of emotions from even reaching his face, but there are cracks in his mask. "Iroh will forgive you, if he hasn't already. That's the kind of person he is."

"He shouldn't. I won't forgive myself. I betrayed him!" Zuko clenches his fist and bangs it again his thigh. "He was always with me, always looking out for me, and I betrayed him in the name of power and the foolish idea that my father could love me."

"The fact that you realize that is proof you've changed. It isn't foolish to want your fathers love. But we can't earn love from someone, it has to be given freely," she pauses, wondering where her own wisdom is coming from. "You'll find a way to make it up to him Zuko, I know you will." Kat's not great with optimism, but it's the truth. "We all make mistakes trying to chase what we think we want." _This isn't the same boy I met two years ago,_ she realizes.

The two benders fall silent. Zuko knows he does need to make it up to Iroh, but despite considering it every day over the past several months, he doesn't know how. He hopes Kat is right.

Kat wonders what else has happened since she last saw him to change him so much. She wants to push him for information, but it's late, and she knows it will start an argument. There will be time tomorrow, and the day after, for dragging information from him. For now, they sit quietly, shoulder to shoulder in comfortable silence.

----------

It has grown dark, but the white snow covered landscape of the South Pole reflects enough moonlight that it was not hard to see. At the heart of the village is a massive fire that always burns. There are tenders assigned to watch it through the night; this is a position of honor in the village. Re-starting a fire in the South Pole is not easy – or, it didn't used to be before Jee and his men arrived. So the central fire serves as a town square, a central meeting place, and someplace to meet after night fall and share stories.

The Fire Nation ex-patriots are milling about, enjoying the warmth. Many complain about the cold and snow for lack of anything substantial to say. Despite the complaints, they appreciate the hospitality of the Water Tribe and are adapting well.

"…and the tile was in his sleeve!" Laughter fills in the central square. The men sit and reminisce about their time in the navy. Kai approached them with some apprehension.

"Evening Kai, come have a seat." Jee smiles warmly and gestures to a free spot on one of the logs across from him. He is middle aged yet his hair is already going grey. It makes him seem somehow more dignified.

Kai sits down and takes a moment to study the group of fire nation exiles. On one hand, they are no different than the Water tribe – mostly young men, a few ranging up into their thirties perhaps, battle trained and war weary. They have families: wives and children. Some are skilled with wood, others with metal, and yet others used to be farmers. Yet they are all pale skinned compared to Kai and the water tribe members around them. Their hair is mostly black with some dark grey here and there. Their eyes range in color from brown to gold, unlike the blue of the water tribe.

"Have you heard anything from Miss Katsumi?"

"No, not since she left." It seems odd to Kai to hear Kat referred to as "Miss Katsumi" yet it's the only way the Fire Nation soldiers refer to her. He doesn't correct them; it's a title of respect and politeness. Kat is after all the main reason they have been welcomed so warmly.

"I am sure she will be fine and return soon. Hopefully, with Zuko."

"Yeah…hopefully…"

"You don't sound very happy about it."

"Honestly, I just don't share her faith in your Prince. I've only heard bad things about him."

The Prince is a hard person to like; I won't lie to you Kai. He's demanding, stubborn, and lacks tact. But he is not a bad man." Jee sighs a little and gazes into the fire. "Compared to many of the higher ranking men of the Fire Nation, Zuko is easy going," he chuckles, and so do many of the men. He looks back at Kai, and sees he is not convinced. "Let me tell you a story. Once we were out at sea, under clear skies. General Iroh told Zuko there would be a storm, and we should change course, except that would have meant traveling away from the Avatar. Zuko declared that the safety of the crew meant nothing, what mattered was finding the Avatar. Hours later, the skies darkened – Iroh had been correct about the storm. Lightning struck the bridge tower and our helmsman was left hanging from the damaged rails. Zuko was the first man up the ladder, ahead of me. When the helmsmen slipped, Zuko caught him by the hand."

Kai arches a brow with disbelief, but says nothing.

"So you see, although he may talk tough, Zuko is not heartless. I believe that Miss Katsumi learned this while on board."

"What exactly happened on the ship?"

"Didn't she tell you?" Jee is suddenly a bit suspicious.

"Well she did, a little…I was wondering what you thought of the events on board though."

"Ah..." Jee isn't convinced. "Miss Katsumi and Prince Zuko clashed many times, both physically in verbally. It's expected with two headstrong teenagers and powerful benders. In the end though, they reached a mutual understanding, or such was my impression." Carefully, he gives away no details. Jee is no fool and realizes that Kat must have a reason for not sharing her stories from the ship.

"Ah, I thought so. I hope they make it back soon." Kai isn't convincing. "Have a nice evening."

-----------

The moon is beginning to set, and the forest grows steadily darker. Even the surface of the creek, one shimmering with reflected light, is darkening, and the lightning bugs have stopped their blinking. Like an inky serpent, the creek continues to bubble and whisper along off into the distance.

Kat has fallen asleep. She hasn't moved, but with her head still resting on her hand her eyes have fallen closed. Zuko watches her with curiosity. _She believes in me, and so does Ty Lee, like Iroh always did, and so did Mom._ _They believe in me and I don't understand why…I've made so many mistakes. I haven't done anything to deserve them. _ It has been a long couple of weeks, and he is no closer to figuring out what he wants in life than he was in Ba Sing Se. All he knows now is what he doesn't want.

"_I've always had to struggle and fight and that's made me strong. It's made me who I am…"_he once said to the unconscious Avatar in the cold snowy north

"_That's who you are Zuko, someone who keeps fighting even though it's hard." _He remembers his mom saying.

_Where am I going? What am I even doing? What __**do**__ I want? Once we get to the South Pole, then what? _ He thinks, and watches the sleeping girl beside him.

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"Hey Iroh watch this!" Aang laughed and began to twist and twirl with a long, thick streak of fire. It raced through the air, wiggling up and down as he guided it. Slowly but surely, the flames took on shape: its wavering edges grew taller, looking like spikes, the front pointed outwards into a snout, and golden eyes flashed on its face. The dragon of flame opened its mouth as if to roar, but it couldn't make any sound. It swooped to the ground and disappeared.

"Well done Aang, it is good to see you using your water bending stances with fire bending. The differences of the styles are only superficial, as you already know." Iroh beams. It took them a long time to convince Aang to learn fire bending again, after the first time with Jeong Jeong. He did master it before the Eclipse, as Iroh had known he would. Although he was young, Aang was still the Avatar, and he had plenty of raw talent to work with.

And yet on days like one, it's hard to remember at the little bald monk is in fact the Avatar. He laughs as he plays with his friends on the ice field in front of the palace. On days like this, even Aang can forget his duties for a while, and just be a child. They are young, full of life and promise and hope, and here, behind the thick ice walls; they are safe for the moment.

Iroh knows it will not last. Soon they will want the teens back in the war room, to discuss the up coming defense against the building fire nation. Soon they will have to get back to combat practice and serious talks of what to do if the city falls. They must plan for the very real possibility that they will fail.

But for now, they can be kids. They can laugh as Momo steals the orange right from Sokka's mouth. They can smile as Toph complains loudly about the cold ice on her bare feet. They can enjoy the softness of Appa's fur. They can enjoy life.

And as Iroh watches them play, he can forget about his nephew and his niece and laugh along too.

-----------

The sun is just beginning to rise, but it's almost impossible to tell at their camp. The tall trees block out the first rays of morning, but the lightening sky makes it clear night is ending.

Zuko is up and stretching silently as he sits on his bed roll. Only a few minutes later, Kat sits up and rubs her eyes. She stifles a yawn with her hand, and stretches her arms over her head. She remembers drifting off to sleep beside the creek, and realizes Zuko must have brought her back to camp.

He wonders if he woke her up. As if she could read his mind, she quietly says "I never did get used to sleeping in again. It's your fault." A wickedly teasing grin dances on her lips; she's not seriously blaming him. It is his fault though, her time on board his ship was long enough to make early rising her new habit.

Kat stretches quickly and leaps to her feet. Gesturing with her hand, she heads back to the creek. "Let's go!" She's already dropped back into a well-rooted fighting stance.

Zuko cracks a devilish grin at the idea of a good fight. Settling into his fighting stance, he beckons her with his hand, "Try and beat me now, water bender."

His grin is infectious and spreads to Kat. Both their hearts race as they anticipate a good fight. Zuko is struck by how excited the prospect of fighting Kat once more makes him; he suddenly realizes how much he's missed a good even fight.

Quickly, Kat launches into her attack. In a series of fluid rapid-fire motions, she's sent a stream of water to the ground and frozen Zuko's feet, while at the same time wrapping tentacles of water around his chest.

It's on.

---------

Ty Lee wakes up with a yawn. She stretches her hands above her head and climbs to her feet. Suddenly the quiet forest erupts with a crash. She sprints off in the direction of the noise.

Beside the creek, Zuko's fire whips are lashing quickly. Kat counters with her own water whips, and where the two meet they sizzle and hiss. The creek bank is now foggy with steam.

It's become a dance of opposing elements, each bender attacks and the other blocks and their fire and water hiss and sizzle in protest. Ty Lee watches with amazement.

Kat swipes at Zuko's feet, forcing him to jump to avoid her ice-tipped water whips. Zuko doesn't miss a beat, retaliating with a blast of fire. Kat side steps and ducks the flames. She bends more water from her pouch and sends blades of ice at him, one of which catches his sleeves and pins his arm back to a tree trunk.

With a tug, Zuko rips his shirt sleeve but gets free of the tree, just in time to duck and roll away from Kat's water whip. So far she's succeeded in keeping him out of melee range and they match each others attacks.

Kat ducks another round of fire balls, Zuko dodges her ice daggers. He retaliated with a fire whip; she with a water whip – back and forth, back and forth. He takes a few steps back on the defensive, Kat moves forwards to stay within her maximum range. He blasts her with a strong wave of fire, she moves back and he advances again.

Ty Lee claps and cheers as she watches their combat.

Kat takes a few steps back to give herself room to evaporate a fire ball mid-air with her water whip. A second blast forces her to take yet another step back; Zuko has her fully on the defensive. She shields herself again a strong wave of fire, the flames lick over the edges of the ice and she can feel the heat on her cheeks. Another step backwards and Kat hits a tree.

She side steps, but it's too late. Zuko races across the small clearing, closing the distance between them. Thinking fast, Kat throws some of her water on the ground and ices it, making a path almost clear to the other side of the clearing. She runs and hits the ice, falling into a slide, and lets her momentum carry her past Zuko. When she runs out of ice she leaps to her feet and spins around. She pulls the ice back off the ground, turning it to water, and recreates her whip.

They're back where they started from, on opposite sides of the clearing. Kat laughs; at this rate, they'll never have a winner.

Zuko takes a deep breath, and puts his hands together, creating a ball of flame between them. He pushes it together, compacting it, and then shoves it away from his body; it explodes as it crosses the field towards Kat, creating a massive shockwave of fire.

Kat gasps and is knocked backwards onto the ground. She sees the wave of flames overhead, licking at her face. Before she can get up Zuko is on top of her with a flame dagger.

"That was **awesome!**" Kat manages to laugh as she breathes hard. Zuko climbs off her and offers her a hand up. She takes it with a grin. "Wow!"

"Those fire whips were so cool!" Ty Lee bounds over to them. "But why were you fighting?" She's relieved that her two traveling companions don't seem to have actually hurt each other.

"Practice," both Kat and Zuko respond in unintended unison.

"Oh!"

Kat laughs, "It's an old routine. I'm impressed; you've learned a lot of new moves Zuko."

She catches the faint smile that tugs at the corners of his mouth but he restrains. "I've fought a lot of benders," he shrugs.

--------------

"There's a bad storm ahead Princess. It seems to be centered over the southern air nomad islands. It will slow is us down by a day or two at the most." The captain closes his eyes as he bows deeply, silently praying to Agni that the Princess does not take her wrath out on him for bearing bad news.

"We will not slow for the weather Captain. I control this ship, and we will continue onwards, full speed. A storm can not stop the Fire Nation." Azula states simply, without even turning to look at the captain at the doorway. She sits in a golden throne in the heart of the ship. The room is lit only by torches along the walls, and the shadows dance and play across her face. "You are dismissed, Captain."

Rising, the man hurries out of the room. He has to restrain the desire to run; Azula scares the shit out of him, along with the rest of the crew. Like Ozai, she rules by fear.

Behind him, the door slams shut, and it echoes through the ship. The captain breathes a sigh of relief and slows his pace. The storm will do less damage to them than Azula will if they are forced to slow down. She wants to make an example out of Jee and his men.

In less than a week, there won't be much of a South Pole left to run to.


	4. Defense of the South Pole

**A.N._ 5-17-17 _**_In light of my wonderful review from NocturnisWing, and 100 views, I decided to finish up the half-written chapter here and post it finally. Please review, it inspires me to continue. This chapter's a bit shorter than I'd have liked it to have been, but I felt the ending was a good point to close the chapter (and hopefully stir a desire to know more and want to read the next chapter). So please review, I am trying very hard to portray a post-Ozai death Zuko accurately to his character, and to give some dimension to Azula as someone other than a sociopathic power hungry bitch. Ty Lee and Kai will have more paper time in the next chapter as they play only minor roles here._

* * *

"So I heard that the Prince was horribly disfigured when one of the fire nation volcanoes exploded. Do you think that's true?" Saki sits and works on gutting and cleaning fish for dinner. 

"I don't know. I always heard it was a training accident." Lei shrugs and grabs another fish from the basket and slits its belly open.

"I also heard it was from a fire that he rushed into a burning house to save an old lady." Saki finishes scraping the scales off the fish she's holding and tosses it onto a growing pile of clean fish.

"Yeah and I heard it was from a fire that he started to get revenge on a guy that owed him money." Lei shakes his head, "what's your point?" He empties the fish's guts into a bowl on the ground between them and begins cleaning it out.

"I don't have one!" Saki laughs. She is the youngest of the group, and a little sister to all of them. Without Kat, she's been understandably lonely. "I was just wondering how he got it. I wonder what it looks like; Kat never did talk about him. I wonder if he's handsome!" She grabs another fish and cuts it open.

"Oh geez," he rolls his eyes, "I can't wait for Kat to get back so I don't have to listen to this girly crap anymore." She punches him in the arm for his comment, and Lei laughs.

"Hey! Guys!" Tashu comes running at them from the pier, panting for breath. "Come over here, they spotted a small boat it might be Kat!"

The fish are forgotten and strewn about the ice as the teens all take off running.

----------

"Ooooh! It's so cold!" Ty Lee rubs her arms and bounces up and down a bit. She's wearing a second layer of her earth kingdom clothes, but it doesn't help much.

"You can have one of my jackets when we get there," Kat says with a laugh. The younger girl doesn't have the wardrobe for the South Pole.

"I'm so excited! I've never been to the South Pole before!"

Zuko sits quietly in the middle of the small craft. It's an old fishing boat, really meant for two people but they've managed to fit three. They did pay for it; Kat was uncomfortable stealing it, even though the old woman no longer used it since her husband's death.

He can't help but remember the last time he was here. The blast of light into the sky had signaled the Avatar's presence, and he had been so full of hope, that his quest was coming to an end. Now two years later, he still hasn't returned home, because he's not sure where home is anymore.

Kat continues to bend the water behind them, speeding their boat along quickly. Her arms are sore from over exertion, but she ignores it. By their best guesses, they'll arrive maybe 3 days before Azula will, maybe less. There isn't time to stop for sore arms.

"I wonder if there are cute boys here, like that warrior that travels with the Avatar!" Ty Lee giggles.

Kat just laughs; she knows Ty Lee and Saki will probably get along well. Then again, she can't imagine anyone not getting along with the cheerful bubbly acrobat.

"Oh, I see land in the distance!" Ty Lee dashes to the front of the boat and points at the horizon.

Squinting, Kat can see it too. "Just another hour or two then and we'll be there."

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A few months ago, Azula was on top of the world. She had captured the earth kingdom capital of Ba Sing Se without any bloodshed. She had created a new and powerful army of allies in the Dai Li, and she had captured her Uncle and convinced her brother to join her. Azula had finally had real success in her endeavors, even though it did not include capturing the Avatar.

But one success was not enough for Ozai. She may have secured the biggest victory for the Fire Nation since the destruction of the Air Nomads and the Southern Water tribes, but it just wasn't enough. There was the Avatar to deal with, the comet's return and the eclipse.

She had been proud of herself, and of her friends, for their victory at Ba Sing Se. Then things fell apart. Then they tried to capture the Avatar and failed, and she wasn't good enough. And then Mai had died. It was her fault, partly.

Azula tries not to think of the past few months. She tries not to think of Ty Lee, and the fact that she will be facing off against her childhood friend eventually. She tries not to think of the blast of flame, of the look of horror and pain on Mai's face and on Ty Lee's face. But they are the sort of things that keep her up at night.

But she does not have time for nightmares or day dreams. Azula has things to do, a country to run, a war to finish. Her men respect her, the nobles are both afraid of her and in awe of her, and the peasants will learn to either love her or fear her. Jee and his men will send that message loud and clear – betray Azula, and die.

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Kat steps off the small wooden ship and into a throng of people. She is surprised by how many there; then again it is not often that such exciting events occur at the South Pole. She can almost feel the unease in Zuko had he steps off the boat behind her, with Ty Lee on his heels. The young girl is grinning widely; being surrounded by people is her element.

"Kat!" Kai shoves his way through the crowd, side by side with Tashu and Lei. The people part to let the teenagers through, with Saki behind them.

Kai envelops Kat in a hug, but over her shoulder he studies Zuko. The two teens size each other behind Kat's back. Zuko is taller than Kai, and of a more slender athletic build. But Kai is visibly muscular, his long brown hair pulled back in the traditional wolf's tail.

Kat steps back from Kai, and quickly embraces Tashu, Lei, and Saki. "Guys this is Zuko, and Ty Lee." She gestures to her Fire Nation companions with one hand. Though she uses no titles, everyone knows who the black haired scarred teen is. They politely nod, but there is tension in the air. "And this is Saki, Lei, Tashu, and Kai."

Zuko watches with quiet amazement as Kat plays off the uncomfortable tension and introduces them all. She's exhausted from near-constant water bending over the past few days; he can see it in her eyes. But she gives no other outwards sign of it, and instead smiles and laughs. He finds himself admiring her strength of character.

The crowd pulses, and Kat is dragged away from Zuko. He can't quite tell what's going on, other than the fact that they want to hear Kat's stories. After a few yards she stops dead in her tracks. "Whoa, wait."

Some of the crowd has dispersed; they only wanted a glimpse of the Fire Nation Prince. After all, there are chores that still have to be done, and food to be cooked, and goods to package for trade.

Kat is encircled; on one side are her childhood water tribe friends, on the other her fire nation friends. She sighs, and looks straight at Kai. "Azula is on her way here."

A gasp runs through her friends, and what few other people are still hanging about.

"How do you know that Kat?" Kai is both curious, concerned, and accusatory in one breath.

She looks to Zuko for help explaining. He steps to her side and remarks simply, "My sister is in a bad position. She had to set an example with Jee and his men, that traitors will not be tolerated. At best, we have 3 days before she'll make it here, by my guess, maybe more if we're lucky."

All eyes are on him, and it makes Zuko briefly uncomfortable. They don't trust him, and he knows it.

"We aren't prepared for an attack. We don't have the men or the weapons to handle a full scale Fire Nation attack." Kai's voice is strong and afraid.

"It won't be a full scale attack. Azula will bring an elite team, one ship, and deal with everyone here. She's cocky, and she thinks this is just one tiny tribe." Zuko remains calm and displays no reaction to the news he bears.

"So what exactly are we supposed to do?" Tashu chimes in suddenly, full of worry.

"I have a plan." Kat grins mischievously, "Come on" she heads towards the main lodge.

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The water benders of the South Pole work in two shifts of just over half a dozen people each to carry out Kat's plan. She barely sees Kai, as he leads the second, evening and night shift and she leads the early morning and afternoon shift.

Jee and his men easily fall back into the habit of taking Zuko's orders. The Fire Nation expatriates prepare themselves for their own role in Kat's plans. She sees Zuko and Ty Lee several times a day; and she can't help but admire the way the Prince leads this small band his citizens.

Kai is aware of the fact that he's barely seen his girlfriend, and best friend, in the past two days. But with so much to do be done, there isn't any time for him to bring it up. He knows Zuko and Kat meet every morning to practice before her teams shift starts and it fuels his jealousy.

As the sun rises on the third day, the watchmen spot a trail of smoke on the horizon. In a few hours, the Fire Lord and her team will be at the South Pole.

---------------

The metal gangplank hits the snow with a softened thud, and almost instantly Fire Nation Soldiers are descending it like ants. Against the white of the snow their black and red uniforms seem more striking. Her ship stands tall, a fearsome black shadow that towers over the tiny village. It is the pride and joy of the Fire Nation fleet, three times the size of Zuko's old ship, and many times faster. It also carries far more fire power than his ship ever dreamed of.

"Where are they?" Azula steps to the front of her small army, flanked by a pair of soldiers who must be her personal guards. They are older and taller than she is, but she is still a slightly better bender than they are.

"Where are who?" Kat shoots back quickly. She cops an attitude; the same one that Jee's men met at first from Kai and Tashu.

Azula glares at the girl before her. Kat is a bit older than Azula; but no more than a year or two. She must be about the same age as Zuko, Azula figures. Her long brown hair is pulled back in a braid, and she and her companion are dressed in the heavy blue clothes rimmed in white fur that are common in the Water Tribes. It's all so…uncivilized.

Azula lets her golden eyes scan over the town. It seems quiet, though there are citizens moving about on their daily chores. They stop and pause to stare at the Fire Nation ship with fear. It makes the Fire Lord grin.

The tiny dock holds only two rickety Earth Kingdom merchant ships. The town is larger than Azula expected, yet still not a threat to the might of the Fire Nation.

Kat glares at her female counterpart. She wants to smirk and laugh, but she maintains a straight faced, annoyed appearance with the skill of an actress. The dock has been shrunk, covered with snow and ice and blended in to the sea. There are no traces of the once-bustling port that was there just days before. Even the defensive ice wall has been lowered and made to look shabby.

"Search the town." Azula commands and her men obey. Fire Nation soldiers spread out from the port and begin to look for signs of their compatriots.

Kat's heart races, but she consciously keeps her breathing steady. She can feel the same tension and fear radiating off Kai beside her. She can only hope Azula will assume the fear is a reaction to being in the presence of the Fire Lord, not because of what they are hiding.

Several hundred yards away, a mountain of snow rises from the monotone surroundings. Because it is white against a white background, it is nearly impossible to get a sense of depth or height for the snowy mound. Beneath a foot of snow, in the darkness of the ship's interior, the fire nation expatriates sit and wait. They do not dare to speak or even move, afraid to make any sounds that would expose the mound as something more than snow.

"I still don't know who you're looking for." At the tiny port, Kat taps her foot impatiently with frustrated annoyance. The men will find nothing, and she knows it, but she pretends otherwise.

"The Fire Nation soldiers and their families who defected here a few weeks ago, that's who." Azula snaps. The attitude from the two water benders is straining her nerves.

"Do you really think we'd let fire nation _soldiers_ stay here?" Kai rolls his eyes.

Before he can even blink, Azula steps forwards and backhands the annoyance off Kai's face. He winces; his cheek stings and turns red instantly.

"Watch your tongue peasant," she hisses. Her men begin to filter back to the docks, shaking their heads.

"We've found no signs of any traitors here, Sir." They wince as they bring bad news, afraid of incurring Azula's wrath.

"Then look **harder** they have to be here _somewhere_."

The minutes turn into an hour. It feels like an eternity to Kai and Kat as they stand face to face with the new Fire Lord, daughter of Ozai, sister of Zuko. The entire town is on edge, holding its breath until the sleek black ship leaves its port.

Azula begins to pace. She knows the traitors must be here somewhere, yet even she can not figure out where. There is no ship in the tiny harbor, there are no empty houses or abandoned fire nation uniforms. The two water benders before her are clearly agitated, nervous, and frightened, but there is no real evidence of Jee and his men. It is possible that their fear and nervousness comes solely from her presence, and not from any secret they carry. It is also possible that Azula's information is wrong, that Jee and his men did not defect, or if they did, they did not come to the South Pole.

Azula refuses to believe that her information is wrong. _They must be here somewhere_.

One hour turns to two, and finally the soldiers have all returned to their ship. They have searched the houses and interrogated the citizens and still come back empty handed. They have harassed the women and children, and roughed up several of the teenaged boys, to no avail.

"Enough. If they aren't here now, then they must have been here and left." Azula stares at the teenaged girl and boy before her. One of them has to know; they seem to be in positions of importance as the oldest teens in town.

She circles the pair once, sizing them up. Both of them are taller than she is, but she isn't bothered by it. Although the boy seems to hold himself with more importance, Azula bets that the girl knows more. The girl with the golden-flecked eyes is far more intriguing to her too. The boy reminds her too much of the water tribe boy that travels with the Avatar: smart, strong, but not always in the know. _Girls are easier to break too_. _And even if she doesn't break, he might talk to protect her_, she thinks.

"Take the mutt." She points at Kat. Her two personal guards step forwards and grab Kat's arms before she can react.

"Mutt? Excuse you?" The insult catches her off guard, but she gets no response to her rude attitude. The royal guards drag her towards the gang plank of their ship, with Azula leading the way. Kat doesn't dare water bend; she can not handle this many soldiers alone, never mind Azula. She also doesn't want them to have an excuse to use force against the tiny water tribe village.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing? Let go of her!" Kai moves to stop them, but is rewarded with a blow to the back of his knees from a nearby soldier. He drops to the ground in pain, and can only watch Kat disappear behind the black metal railings for the second time in his life.

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"What do you think is taking so long?" Ty Lee finally dares to whisper. Over two hours of silence is driving the talkative and chipper acrobat insane. Her words are met with a sharp hiss to be quiet from several of her fellow fire nation citizens.

"It's Azula. She's thorough." Zuko leans in, estimating where Ty Lee's ear should be, and whispers back. They sit side by side in complete darkness. He wants to snap his fingers and be comforted by even the smallest flame, but he won't risk it. The ship is complete buried, but they never know what might cause the snow to shift or slide.

In the coldness they sit, bundled up in foreign clothing, nestled together for warmth. In the darkness, they can only wait and imagine what is occurred just a few hundred yards away.

_If you touch her Azula, I'll make you pay for it,_ Zuko thinks. He can feel Ty Le readjusting to a different acrobatic seating position. He wants to be in town, keeping an eye on his second friend, but he is far too easily recognized. The thought of having just accepted friendship for only the second time ever, and losing it so soon, makes his heart race.

---------------

Kai kneels on the cold ground. The pain in his knees has subsided to a dull throb, numbed by the ice he's kneeling on. Kana places a blanket on his shoulders and insists he eat something, even though he is sick to his stomach. One hour, and then two, passes and there is no sign of Kat. He tries to get on board, but soldiers positioned at the bottom of the gang plank prevent him from doing so.

When there is finally movement on the deck, Kai springs to his feet. For a moment, he thinks he will collapse again. His knees cry in protest, the pain shoots through his spine and makes every movement painful.

One lone soldier escorts Kat down the metal walkway. A cut on her cheek drips blood down her neck and stains the white fur of her collar. Along with a black eye, it is the only sign of physical injury she has sustained.

Her golden flecked eyes are pink with strain and broken blood vessels. They speak volumes about the past two hours, yet Kai can not read them.

When the guard lets her go, Kat stumbles for a second before securing her footing. The men retreat up the gang plank and it is pulled back on board. With a roar, the engines come alive once more, and the fire nation ship begins to pull away from the harbor. In its wake it leaves broken and cracked ice and a damaged pier. There is no sign of the Fire Lord on the deck as the ship leaves, only the damage she leaves in her wake.

"Kat!" Kai is at her side in an instance. She winces when he touches her shoulder.

"Don't." Kat rolls her shoulder, shrugging his hand from it. "I just need some water, and a nice, soft bed." She laughs softly to try and relax Kai. Even in pain, she tries to make him feel better about his inability to help her. But her laughter is forced and painful. The act itself makes her abdomen ache and throb and she holds her torso with one arm. All in all, she's not in bad shape for someone walking away from a Fire Nation interrogation.

In the dimly lit makeshift throne room below deck, Azula drops into her throne. _Where are you going Zuko? Is Ty Lee with you?_ She wonders with anger and frustration. The water tribe girl had finally talked, admitted that Jee and his men had stopped and refueled at the South Pole before heading towards the Earth Kingdom. Although it took hours to get the information, something about it bothers Azula. Once again she has failed - remaining one step behind her target, and it ignites a passionate anger deep inside her not to do it again. Azula struggles to pry herself from her thoughts, to focus on what needs to be done now, not on what she has failed to accomplish. _I will find you Zuko._

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End file.
